The leukotrienes constitute a group of locally acting hormones, produced in living systems from arachidonic acid. The major leukotrienes are Leukotriene B.sub.4 (abbreviated at LTB.sub.4), LTC.sub.4, LTD.sub.4 and LTE.sub.4. The biosynthesis of these leukotrienes begins with the action of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase on arachidonic acid to produce the epoxide known as Leukotriene A.sub.4 (LTA.sub.4), which is converted to the other leukotrienes by subsequent enzymatic steps. Further details of the biosynthesis as well as the metabolism of the leukotrienes are to be found in the book Leukotrienes and Lipoxygenases, ed. J. Rokach, Elsevier, Amsterdam (1989). The actions of the leukotrienes in living systems and their contribution to various diseases states are also discussed in the book by Rokach.
EP 385,662 (published Sep. 5, 1990) discloses 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors of the formula ##STR1## in which a heterocyclic moiety, Q, is linked to Ar, which may be phenylene, via A--X. The group CR.sup.2 R.sup.3 attached to Ar represents a O--, S-- or N-containing heterocyclic ring, whereas the CR.sup.1 R.sup.2 of the present invention does not form a ring. The Ar.sup.3 unit of the present invention is absent from the above formula.
EP 462,812 (published Dec. 27, 1991) discloses 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors of the formula ##STR2## in which a phenyl, naphthyl or a bicyclic heterocycle (Ar.sup.1) is linked to a 5-membered heterocycle (Ar.sup.2) via A.sup.1 --X.sup.1. The group CR.sup.2 R.sup.3 attached to Ar.sup.2 represents a O- or S-containing heterocyclic ring. The present compounds lack such a ring.
EP 462,830 (published Dec. 27, 1991) discloses 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors of the formula ##STR3## in which a phenyl, naphthyl or a bicyclic heterocycle (Ar.sup.1) is linked to a phenylene or pyridylene (Ar.sup.2) via A.sup.1 --X.sup.1. The group CR.sup.2 R.sup.3 attached to Ar.sup.2 represents a O or S-containing heterocyclic ring; R.sup.1 is for example H, alkyl, alkyocarbonyl, or alkylthio. In contrast, CR.sup.1 R.sup.2 of the present compounds does not define a ring, and OR.sup.3 on the present compounds is different from R.sup.1 of the above formula.
WO94/00444 (published Jan. 6, 1994) discloses leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitors which are aryl substituted naphthalenes of the formula ##STR4##
The present compounds differ from those of the above formula in that they lack the ring containing X.sup.1 and X.sup.2.
Crawley et al (J. Med. Chem. 1992, 35, 2600-2609) discloses the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor of the formula below. The compounds of the present invention differ in that they lack the tetrahydropyran ring, and that they possess an aromatic substituent on the bicyclic ring moiety. ##STR5##